A Guide to Choosing a Heater for Your Pool

August 11, 2017

Keeping your pool heated might not seem like the best idea for the summer, but with a heater you can keep it nice and warm even as the weather cools down.

Keeping your pool heated might not seem like the best idea for the summer, but with a heater you can keep it nice and warm even as the weather cools down. Now, you might be wondering, which type of pool heater is right for you? We’ve put together this helpful guide to help you select the heater you would like best for your swimming pool.

Electric Heaters

As the name implies, electric heaters use electricity to generate heat. Currents are run through the resistor, a critical component inside the heater unit itself. The water flows over the resistor, which heats the water up while cooling the resistor down. However, these heaters demand a large, steady supply of electricity in order to function properly. So they’re mainly used for heating small spas and for therapy pools.

Pros of Electric Heaters:

Affordable

Do not depend on temperature of surrounding air

Cons of Electric Heaters:

Installation can be expensive

Not energy efficient

Gas Heaters

Gas heaters need natural gas or propane as fuel. The gas burns inside what is known as a combustion chamber. The combustion chamber contains copper coils, which are the essential component of these heaters. While the gas is burning, water flows through the coils and heats up. Gas heaters have long been the most popular model of swimming pool heaters. But given the high price of gas and advances in technology, such as the heat pump, the once-soaring popularity of gas heaters is declining.

Pros of Gas Heaters:

Affordable

Rapidly heats the water

Cons of Gas Heaters:

Expected lifespan around five years

Can create air pollution

Heat Pumps

Like electric heaters, heat pumps also use electricity. However, there are two main types of heat pumps. Air-source heat pumps draw heat from the surrounding air, while water-source heat pumps draw heat from nearby water. Due their tremendous energy-efficiency, heat pumps have become extremely popular as of late.

Pros of Heat Pumps:

Relatively low operating costs

Greatly energy-efficient

The water-source heat pumps do not depend on the air temperature

Can last anywhere from 10-20 years

Eco-friendly

Cons of Heat Pumps:

Very expensive to buy

Air-source heat pumps do depend on the air temperature

Heats the water slowly

Solar-Powered Heaters

Solar-powered heaters work in tandem with solar panels to heat up your swimming pool. Sunlight powers the solar panels, which then heat up the water as it is pumped through the panels. Since solar-powered heaters need sunlight to operate, most users will have backup heaters to use at night or when it is cloudy outside.

Pros of Solar-Powered Heaters:

Low operating costs

Highly energy-efficient

Will last anywhere from 15-20 years

Eco-friendly

Cons of Solar-Powered Heaters:

Astronomically expensive

Reliant on the sun; can’t operate during the night, and runs less efficiently in cloudy weather

Heats water slowly

Installations on roof or lawn can be unsightly

A SWIMMING POOL FROM HONEYSUCKLE NURSERY AND DESIGN

At Honeysuckle Nursery and Design, you will get construction and maintenance crews on site who have a minimum of 10 years of experience in all types of landscaping. Our designers will work closely with you to understand how you want to use your space so that we can make the most of your entire site. We are committed to providing complete customer satisfaction and will work with you along every step of the way to be sure that you are happy with your landscape design.

Ready to start planning your new professional landscape design? Give us a call at 410-849-5119 or send us an email to schedule your free, no obligation estimate today!